New Technology Partnership Set to Transform Emergency Medical Services in Turkana
Lodwar, 25 August 2026
Turkana County has partnered with Ambulex Africa to launch digital ambulance mapping, tackling critical healthcare challenges, including the region’s high rate of life-threatening snakebite emergencies.
A Five-Year Digital Health Alliance
On Monday, 24 August 2026, the Turkana County Government, through its Department of Health, officially signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Ambulex Africa [1]. This partnership is designed to integrate technology-enabled emergency response systems directly into the public health infrastructure of Kenya’s second-largest county, which covers an expansive area of 77,000 square kilometres [1]. Signed by Deputy Governor Dr. John Erus and Ambulex Africa Chief Executive Officer Judith Oketch, the initiative marks Turkana as the ninth county to enter into an MoU partnership with the organisation [1].
How the Digital Dispatch System Works
The core of this partnership lies in digital ambulance mapping and dispatch technology [1]. This system allows health authorities to track available ambulances in real time, ensuring that emergency vehicles can be deployed to critical situations without delay [1]. To support this digital framework, Ambulex Africa is deploying professional paramedics, drivers, and nurses to work alongside local teams, ensuring that emergency transfers are both safe and highly efficient [1].
Accessing the Service and Eligibility
Local residents can access this improved emergency care system through their nearest community health workers and local health facilities, which are now digitally linked to the central dispatch and referral network [1]. The service is designed to streamline medical evacuations and transfers to major centres, such as the Lodwar County Referral Hospital [GPT][1]. [alert! ‘The official documentation does not list a specific toll-free public telephone number or mobile application name for direct patient self-dispatch.’]
Eligibility and Deadlines
All residents of Turkana County, particularly those living in remote, hard-to-reach, and underserved areas, are fully eligible to benefit from these emergency services [1]. As this is a structural, five-year public health integration rather than a temporary program, there is no registration process or deadline for residents to sign up [1]. The emergency referral services are open to any patient requiring urgent medical transfer within the county [1].
Targeting Snakebites and Building Local Capacity
A key priority of this joint venture is addressing the high incidence of snakebite cases in Turkana, which Boniface Awuor, the Ambulex Partnership and Scaling Lead, identified as a major regional health challenge requiring rapid medical intervention [1]. To ensure long-term sustainability, the agreement also covers comprehensive capacity building [1]. Local emergency medical teams will receive specialized Basic and Advanced Life Support training to improve their overall response capabilities during critical evacuations [1].